iPad comparison
iPad (11th gen) vs iPad Air M3
Compare iPad (11th gen) vs iPad Air M3 side by side — chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
iPad (A16, 11th generation)A straightforward update: the faster A16, more RAM and a 128 GB base, keeping the everyday iPad cheap and capable.
iPad Air (M3)A speed bump to the M3 (in both 11" and 13"), adding ray tracing and a faster GPU while keeping the Air’s value pricing.Specs side by side
| Spec | iPad (A16, 11th generation) | iPad Air (M3) |
|---|---|---|
| Release | March 12, 2025 | March 12, 2025 |
| Launch price | $349 | $599 |
| Price today | $352 | $605 |
| CPU | Apple A16 · 3.46 GHz | Apple M3 · 4.05 GHz |
| Memory | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360×1640 | 11" or 13" Liquid Retina, up to 2732×2048 |
| Ports | USB-C | USB-C |
| Operating system | iPadOS 18 | iPadOS 18.3 |
Method note: historical pricing uses approximate US CPI. CPU clock comparisons are clock-only and do not represent full real-world performance.
Why each matters
iPad (A16, 11th generation)
Doubled base storage to 128 GB at the entry price.
iPad Air (M3)
Brought hardware ray tracing and dynamic caching to the Air via the M3.
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Last updated: 2026-07-04